Picture frame



H. TRASK PICTURE FRAME Jan; s; '1952A Filed Sept. 15, 1951 INVENTOR Hary Yvas BY mm ATI'ORN EYS Patented Jan. 8, 1952` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Batty Trask, New Yorke, N. Y.. normaliser-,temeer 1s, 195i, vserial No. 246,399'

; o claims. (ci. io-ies) f The prsent invention 'llast pi# ture frames.

It is among the objects lof the 'ii-iventionf'to provide a. structure wholly' of atbe'ndabl'efstoek' such as cardboard that may be stocked yand shippedv nat and that cari readily be set up by the unskilled ultirnatey user,I without 'the'n'eed for pasting, stitching, nailing, staplmg, riveting or resort to tools or implements, and when setup,

simulates a wooden. or'metalpieture frame having,

the' Yappearance of 'substantial 'solida-"y, with the picture', matted or unmetted, therein, end which may also-afford esei'feciiities and a1- ternative hanging facilities.

In the accompanying drawingsV 'in which are shown one or more of variousv possible: embodiments of the several features ofthe invention'. Fig. 1 is aA rear plan view-showing the. flat stoel-r. of the picture frame before the same `has been set up,

2 therebetween which determinethey thickness of the frame; The ends 25 'of yeach of the bands bj extend 'at'rig'ht angles to the respective folds that determine such bands 'and thus are at right anglesto each other at each corner C of the body I0. Opposed flaps |15 andy I6 desirably have extenrsion'v tabs 265 folded` inward' from Vfold lines` 21 that extend at right angles to' the respective fold lines I1' and I8' thereof. Each of the tabs 26 desirably entends` 'the 'entire width `of thetabs I5 and I6, respectively, 'and' is itself of height slightly less thanthewidth of the bando.

Securely affixed to the. 'rear' face of the body' and of areadesirably equal to but no greater' than that of the matted picture 2 I. 22 is a back- "i-ng 'sheet 'or platel P., desirably of cardboard f Fig. 2 'is a perspective viewshowing the generall appearancel of the seteupfpicturefframe,

' "-Flg'. 3 is a perspective view' from therear there"i of showing' the same set-upv in easel-supported position,

v Fig. 4' is a view in longitudinal cross section, with parts broken away' and ori. an'. enlarged scafataken Online 4-4-of'Fig/...2g

Fig'. 5` is a transverse cross sectional also` on an enlarged seele', taken along.' line ef Fig. 2.

Referring now t'o .1 of the drawings). the! structure comprises a blank'. of flexible' bendeoie sheet stock of low cost, preferably of. fine clay coate'dpaperboard or cardboerdl 'I'hetblanle consists of a; reetar'iguleuh 'body' 'tu' from 'the `sides` of which protrude napsfunitary ti'i'erevvith.irte cludi'ng naps 'H' and.' v2.' from-the verticaltfold edges I3 and I6 respectively and apsi''and- I6 similarly protruding 'from the .horizontal fold edges i1. and '182, respectively. .The bodyA has oblique'slits. I9 extending inward. fromits'eorners'. C 'tov points 20' whichv deiine'wthe comers @of the mat-or border k2 I` about. 'the picture `2 :for the corners or the picture itsem'ifnoborderis eine' played', said pietirrebeing directly imprinted uri-- on or pasted to the front Iaco body.l By virtue.- o'f slits' I9, the respective naps thushave which are folded outward from Vthe firentv about inner ends 2t) of slits t9',

,thickerv Vand 'stiffer' than that of 'the flexible frame. This. backing" is` secured to the back of the frame body in manner such as to leave free from attachment' a substantial rimv a of suchV backing, desirably' an inch or `more in width. While the backing may' thus be centrally attached to the body in any of numerous ways, it is preferred so to attach. it at an adhesive area 30.. TheY 'front o'f the blank is desirably imprinted to simulate wood graining, metal finish or the' like, on those portions thatcorrespond to the frame, viz, the iap root sections H', I2', I5' and I 61' and the four band sections b.

The flat blanky structure shown lin Fig. 1 is readily set up for use', by merely folding down the end'tab's 26and tucking the end aps I5, I6 inward under the corresponding free border a of the .backing sheet' P :which thusA serves. as a holding cleat therefor, as 'will be clear especially '-'lfrom Fig. 3. In this'relation4 the free' edges of kthe infomed end tabs zey will engage the respective fold'lines I3 `and I4 and help to determine the position of the' flap root sections I5 and I6 to extend obliquely outward from the edges of f the picture in the. manner of the front of a conventional picture frame, as shown, Preferably the ends of 'the adhesive area'. 30 serve as stops for thefedges of'ilaps f5 and I6 when these are properly' positioned..

f '1 Thereupon, the remaining opposed flapsA H and I2 are tucked under the corresponding" unsecured rim areas a of the backing sheet, and

over: the flaps' I5. and; I6, which have a tapered form as atm to' facilitate insertion, the edges of the adhesive areav 30 des-irai)lyv serving as stops for thefreef edges of such naps'. Thus all four respective naps' are providedwith .lines I I3', i4', I1' and III", parwllei to'fth'efold linesi3,- I'l, n and i8 respectively enddenning-fbands 'o lbend 'areas' b of .the respective'naps Il, I2, i5

and t6 are disposed atiiifhtfangles to the picture' 51 anni the corner edges. z5 which-inthe blank are at serves as a holding cleat for the respective flaps,

there is provided the appearance of a framed picture, the inexpensive construction of which is not apparent except upon close inspection, 'and thev frame is thus set up without the need for pasting.. stitching, nailing, stapling, riveting or'for accessories or implements for the purpose'and thev manufacturer is saved th'ef cost of this manual set up operation. The'frame may, if desired,be readily opened by withdrawing the various naps from under the backing sheet for convenience in transportation andmay be re-set up as desired.

The frame set forth may and desirably lis equipped With a normally flat easel construction as a unitary part therewith. I That easel may be a separate .element attached to the midsection of backing sheet P. Preferably however, theeasel construction is pre-cut from the backing sheet P. It may' comprise an easel leg 3| at the median part of the backing sheet, formed by a pair ofparallel upright slits 32l fromthe upper edge of: sheet P and connected by a transverse fold line 33 about which the easel leg may be folded. 1

Acoacting easel'strut or crossebar 34 is :similarly lcut from the sheet'P by short'slits 35 desirably aligned With the longer slits 32, and spaced there-y from,=the upper ends-of which slits are connected by `fold line 36, the strut or cross-bar, being formed with aunitary hook 31--also cut out from' the sheet P and coacting with avcorresponding opening 38 in .the easel bar widened at -33 Ato accommodate the ears of the hook 31.

inner endsthereofauectangular picture or mat area, said body" being rectilinearally folded becorresponding edge of the body, denning the outer forward edge of the frame, each flap having a fold line parallel thereto defining the outer back edge of the frame, and a backing sheet of cardboard secured to the rear of said body but free of said body about the edges thereof to serve as a cleat for releasably retaining the free edges of said flaps tucked in position between the body and th'e'backing sheet. 'f

Y2. A picture frame of flexible, bendable sheet stock comprising a blank of generally rectangular form having unitary therewith flaps extending the lengths of the respective sides of said body, and having diagonal slits extending inward from the respective corners thereof and defining at the tween `'the' inner extremities of consecutive slits to define between said creases and the roots of said flaps the':1espective -front areas of .the Vpicture frame, a relatively stiff backing sheet s ecuredto the reargiace of said body-andof area no greater than-that of said-picture o r mat forming portion, free of` the Alatter -at a,substantial area inward from. the peripherythereof, to serve. as a cleat for releasably vretaining lthe flaps tucked in position thereunder when the frame is set up f or use.

3. Y Thecombination recited in claim 2 in which two-'opposed flaps have inturned endv tabs to.

engage-theouteredges of the frame at theinner sides thereof and therebytodene the thickness ofthe :,frameithe remaining two flaps retaining said tab lflaps in positionwhen tucked under the backingfsheet.

. 4.- A--cardboardframed picture construction comprising aunitary blank generally rectangularin form haNing-generally rectangular flapsv prod truding-from Vthelengths of the respective' sides 1 thereof, the edges of neighboring flaps extend--- The easel i'sreadilyset up when desired, as best shown in Fig. 3', by'bending down the easel leg 3| and introducing the strut hook 34 'through thev corresponding -opening 38. Desirably, also the easel structure, or if no easel or a separate easel piece is provided, the unslitted backing sheet may have a small central aperture ,40 or two lateral apertures (not shown) .for convenience ing the picture on the wall.

' The invention thus affords an extraordinarily inexpensive expedient for an attractive'- simulationl of a solid frame with a picture therein. It accordingly lends itself especially to the advertising arts and for seasonal or holidayernbellishments of the home-school' or auditorium among numerous other applications. i l

Y`As many changes could be. made in the above device andmanyapparently widelydi'fferent em" bodimentsthereof could be made Withoutsdepart'- ing froml the scope of the claims, it is intended'.

that all matter contained in the abovefdescription or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as'illustrative and not in a limitingA Sense.

Having -thus described my invention, l.what I:

claim as new and desire to secure'by Letters' Patent of the UnitedStates is: Y

in hang:-

l. A pictureframelof'fiat stock,"comprising'a" blank of flexible, bendable sheet 'stockghaving a" rectangular pictureicarrying body, flaps protrude" ig -atzright-angles to each vother from the respec-i tive corners of therectangular body Vand said body being. diagonally slit inward from each corner, the 4inner ends ofv said slits defining the four corners of the rectangular picture or' mat, eachof said-flapshaving two parallel fold lines the inner 'of which; y-is at ythe -corresponding edge;v of the rectangular body 'and denes the forwardy outerqedge` of the frame and the-other fold the corresponding rear edge of the frame, a relatively stiff backing sheet attached at regions remote from the edges thereof to the rear of the picture or mat forming portiomsaid backing. sheetservingae a cleat releasably to retain ,the free edges ofthejrespective flaps in position -be 1 tween the backing sheet and the picture carrying area, said4 edges--that--areat right angles to each otherv in the blank, abutting when thevfraxne is set `up -to-denne the corners-thereof.

t 5.' The combination recited in daim 4 in which; two. opposed flaps are each provided with iii-,-

turnedtabs. for edgeicontact with the inside of the :frame atthe' outer edge thereof, therebydefiningthexthi'ckne'ss` of theframe, the remain-5 ing: f-a'ps' beingv trapezoidal for convenience ininsertion .under the backing. sheet after the tab;-

carrying flaps'have thus vbeen inserted;

6; 'Afat structure that admitsof being stacked and that can readilybez'set upas a framed picture, said structure comprising a cardboard blank having a rectangular.;.bodyland flaps. unitary, therewith extending the lengthsv of A,the respec-f';

creases in the outer face thereof connecting the inner ends of said slits and having further creases in the underface thereof along the edges of said body, dening the roots of said flaps, further creases parallel to the latter creases along the lengths of said aps to define the thickness of the frame, two opposed flaps having end tabs with creases on the underface thereof, said end tabs being of height somewhat less than the disstiier material bonded to the rear face of the' mat portion of the blank and of dimensions no greater than said mat portion, the bordering area of said backing sheet being free relative to the mat.

HARRY TRASK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 547,377 Gillbee Oct. 1, 1895 2,144,594 Katz Jan. 17, 1939 2,553,174 Cross May 15, 1951 2,562,590 Viglietta July 31, 1951 2,568,899 Rambow Sept. 25, 1951 FREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 213,918 Switzerland June 16, 1941 

